Vehicle wheel



Dec. 1, 1925.

J. F. WILMOT VEHICLE WHEEL Filed April l1, 1923 A TTORNEY.

Patented Dec. l, 1925.

cierren STATES PATENT oFFicr..

JOHN F. "WILMOT, OF DETRQT, MCI-IGAN'.v

VEHCILE WHEEL.

Application lee April il, 1923. Serial No. 631,304.

To all whom @'15 may concern.'

forni a part of this specification.

rlhis invention relates to vehicle wheels, and the object is to provide a substantial and resilient disk wheel adaptable for various uses as for instance a road wheel for an automotive vehicle or a car wheel and similar wheels for various classes of vehicles for transportation.

The particular feature of the invention is in the construction of the disk, the object being to provide a disk that is of great strength at the center or point of connection with the hub where the greatest strain occurs and of less strength and greater flexibility toward the rim or tire. Such arrangement has been attempted to be secured 1n the past by forming a single disk of tapered section and sometimes of several disks of different diameters. vln such previous arrangements, however, the structure is expensive both as to labor cost and as to cost of material. An object of this invention is to form a composite disk consisting of a plurality of small plates or sectors overlapping in a manner to form several plies or layers at the hub or center and being each attached to the rim, the extent of overlap decreasing toward the rim at which point the plates are in practically edge to edge relationship. These objects and the several novel features of the invention and the bencts to be obtained therefrom are hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and lihe prefei'rcffl form of construction of a wher-l en'iboilying my invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which- Fig. l is a side elevation of an automotive vehicle wheel.

Fig. Q is a half section on an enlarged scale taken on line 2-2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a detail showing the preferred method of overlapping the plates at the center.

Fig. 4l 1s a section taken on line 4 4 Fig. 2.

-fn Fig. 2 the hub (which may be of any ap Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. (i is a section taken on line ti-G of Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is asection of a different type of o0 riin to that shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 8 is a section of another'type of rim.

The disk is adaptable for use in the manufactureof various types of wheels as for instance the usual automotive vehicle wheel having a solid or pneumatic tire or car wheel or similar structure. The use of the disk in the manufacture of a vehicle road wheel is shown more particularly in Figs. l, 2 and 7.

proved type) is indicated at l and the rim is shown at 2, it being of the common type having a removable flange, but it is to be understood that any type of rim may be utilized with my improved disk which is shown generally at 3 extending from the hub to the rim. This disk is here shown supported between the fixed flange 8 and the loose liange 9 of the hub by bolts l() passing through the flanges and the assembled sectors a, b, c and d etc., of the disk.

The disk is made up of a multiplicity of sectors indicated in Fig. 3 by full lines a. A. second similar disk is shown in Fig. 3 by dotted lines o which is to be understood as being placed over the member a and riveted or otherwise secured thereto. The disk is formed of successive plates or sectors placed one over the other preferably in the relation of the sectors a and b of Fig. 3 whereby successive sectors, as indicated at (i, l), c and CZ, are in overlapping relation at the center. lThe area in overlapping relation decreases from the hub to the rim as will be understood from Figs. 2, e', 5 and 6. lf the wheel be formed with four plates cr sectors in overlapping relation at any line of section at the center, then at a distance :from the center, for .instance as in Fig. 5, ihere will be only three of the plates in overlapping relation and at a further distance only two as in Fig. 6, and finally at the rim the plates are practically in edge to edge relationship. In Fig. 3, it will be noted at the point 50, the two disks just overlap 165 at the edge, the purpose being to prevent an interstice or crevice between the disks at this point.

It is to be noted that the sectors are preferably, but not necessarily, formed Vwith one edge straight and the opposite edge curved as will be understood from Fig. 8- and when these plates are assembled in a wheelf one side ol the Wheel, as shown in l.A will shoev the radial straight edge of the plates while on the opposite side of the wheel onlv the curved edge elI the plates will be expose@ to View.

By dotted lines 5l l have iiu ated a Wheel of a different diameter in winch case the sectors are the same except' the dotted line 52 forming the edge of the one sector would be changed slightly but having the same relationship as the correspondii g' full line of the larger sector (l. Correspond ingly the Wheel may be o'l greater diameter7 the sector sin'ipljv being increased in length. ln any case the various sectors are fan shaped in their linal relatiosshipV provil'ling several plies at the center, the number of plies in overlapping relation decreasr ,f successive points toward the periphery or rim. lt is evident from this arrai'igemenh a strong and sturdy cmistruetiozi of disk is provided at the hub or center where the greatest strain occursn and that, atsucce ive points toward the periphery. the strength at any point of cross section is decreased7 resulting in a resilient disk. The strength of the vvheel as a Whole is not materiall)Y decreased toward the rim but, due to the arrangement oi the plates in the fan shape about'a center and the t rm oi' the plates. the area oi metal in engagement with the rim is greater than the area of any circle of less diameter but greater 'llexibilityv esisti` due to there being a le` number of plates in overlapping relation toward the rim.

ln Fig. l have shown the disk of substantiallj,Y concavo-convex form terminating iu a` reverselv bent peripherjY for attachment to a rim b v bolts l2. flu some disk Wheels such reversely bent portion is unnecessarv.y as the periphery oi2 the disk may be secured as shown in F 7 between llanges le and b v means of bolts lli and to these flanges may beV secured a rim member i3 of any desired form in cross section, the one shown in Fig. 7 being` of the type used 'lor a solid rubber tire. ln Fig. 8 l have shown :fs single angle` member lll seeurel'l to a tire l? oA the car ivheel type, t ie disk at the periphery being` secured to the t je i8 bv a seriesl o'll bolts. ln either case. Fig. or Fig. t, the disks maj.`- be eoucaved to a greater or less extent depcndl upon the flexibility desired and the ol service in which the wheel is us lt is thus evident that the shape of the emi; is not material to this invention; that it may be shaped to secure a great flexibility without loss of strength as is required in the usual automobile road wheehor shaped to give a more solid and less resilient structure as in the usual truck Wheels having a solid tire, or in the type of Wheel used for street and steam railway cars.

From the above it Will be observed thatV the plates should be assembled and secured together as by the rivets ll and secured to a hub iu any approved manner and then should be formed by a die to secure the desired shape o'i the disk in cross section and5 While lf have here shown rivets l'or securing the sectors together. it is to be understood that, il? made oi str-,el er the like, theft,Y may be secured together b v a welding tor instance by spo?v Welding v eby the plates all act together as a unit without possil'iilitiy ol relative movement ot' the plates which are lixedly secured together toward the center and lixedlyv attached to a rim structure. ily varying the number of plates in overlapping relation et the center, a wheel for light heavy1 dutj,Y may he secured, aud the l'lcxibilit;7 and strength o'll the wheel wil` be determined by the number ot plates and the shape ol3 the disk in cross section.

l have geneially described the dish is being ol a eine e thickness el i rim. lt is evident7 houf'ever, that may extend in considerable over i lation at the rim especiallyv where strength of the disk particularly desired as in a trucl; wheel or a 'ar 'wheel and therefore in and h l have shown tivo thicle nesses of plates or sectors at the rim. Vfl re great flexibility is desired, a single thickness is utilized as suggested in Figs. 2 or 5.

PreferabliYY the disk for the majorityv of uses is made ol metal for instance sheet metal, but it is to be understood that the dist: may be formed of plaies ol' an",7 adapt able material as wood.. liber, or various linds of material and also that7 with Wheels oli' small diameter Where necessitg.'Y lor great strength does not exist for iiir-,tzuice in hand wheels for various uses, the plates may be secured together the hub and to the rim only and not one to the other as bv riveting or Welding is the preferable method in the manufacture of vehicle road Wheels.

From the foregoing description it is evident that the shape and character ol the rim t'.lie Wheel, or the character ot the hub Vlic wheel or mode ol attachment of the s to the hub or the rim is not material s invention which relates particularljllv i Formation olt a disk ot several sectors arranged to torni a circle, a pluralityv ol wl ch are in olf'erlapping relation at the center and extending in 'lan shape about ghe huh whereby the area oiE the sectors in overlapping relation decreases at successive points miw lrd the rim. I thus am able to secure a disl; wheel that is of greatest strength toward the center and of ample strength throughout and of increasing ilexthe pia "es Il L ibility vfrom the center toward the rim Where the disk is practically of a single thickness of metal. Further, that by the arrangement described, the various objects of the invention are attained and a Wheel that is artistic in appearance is secured.

Having thus fully described my invention, it-s utility and `inode of operation, what l claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent or' the United States isl. ln a disk Wheel, the combination With a hub and a rim, of a disk formed of a plurality oi' sectors in overlapping relation, the area in overlapping relation being ot greatest extent at the hub and decreasing toward the rim.

Q. In a disk Wheel, the combination with a hub and rim of the Wheel, of a disk formed of a plurality o-:t sectors of simliar thickness and form arranged about the hub in a :tan shape providing a disk having the thickness ot several sectors at the hub and a less number ot sectors at the rim.

3. ln a disk Wheel, the combination with the hub and a rim, of a disk ormedof a plurality or plates forming sectors attached to the hub and to the rim and shaped and arranged to form a disk having the thickness o" several plates at the hub and having practically the thickness ot' one of the plates at the periphery.

4. In a disk Wheel, the combination With a hub and the rim, of a disk formed ot a plurality ot plates ot sheet metal forming sectors arranged radially about the hub and attached together and to the hub and to the rim at opposite ends, the composition disk thus 'formed having the thickness of several plates at the hub and of less thickness at the periphery.

5. ln a disk Wheel, the combination with a hub and a rim, of a disk formed of a plurality ot sectors of like form and thickness secured to the hub in overlapping relation and individually to the rim providing a composite disk ot the thickness of several sectors at the center and ot the thickness of a single sector' at the rim.

6. ln a disk Wheel, the combination with the hub and rim, of a disk formed of a plurality of sectors in radial relation and lying in overlapping relation at the center, the extent ot the overlapping area. of the adjacent disks decreasing practically to a vanishing point at the rim, the composite disk being shaped to secure resiliency in the plane of the Wheel.

7. ln a disk Wheel, the combination With a hub and a rim, of a disk formed of a plurality of sectors of similar form secured together and secured to the hub and the rim at opposite ends, the said sectors being so shaped and arranged to lie successively in overlapping relation at the hub whereby they disk at the hub has a thickness ot a number ot sectors, the area in overlapping relationship decreasing toward the rim Where the thickness oi the disk is practically that ota single sector.

8. A vehicle Wheel comprising a hub and a rim, a plurality of plates providing sectors duplicate in form attached to the hub and to the rim, the sectors lying in overlapping relation at theV center and being secured one to the other between the ends, the area of adjacent sectors in overlapping relation decreasing from the hub toward the rim. y

9.V A vehicle Wheel comprising a hub and a rim and a plurality of sheet metal plates providing sectors practically duplicate in 'form each secured at the respective ends to the hub and rib, adjacent sectors being secured together intermediate the ends, and the assembled sectors providing a disk concavo-convex in torni terminating in a reversely turned peripheral portion to which the rim is secured.

10. A vehicle Wheel comprising a hub and a rim, a disk formed ot a, plurality of plates providing sectors of duplicate form attached to the hub and to the rim, the plateslying successively in overlapping relation at the center, the area in overlapping relation decreasing trom the hub toward the rim, and a iange secured to the periphery oi' the disk providing a. seat tor the rim.

ll. ln a vehicle wheel, a hub and a rim, a disk formed of a plurality ot' plates of substantially triangular shape attached to the hub and circularly arranged thereabout in tan shape, and rim receiving members attached to the periphery of the disk thus formed.

l2. In a vehicle Wheel, a hub and a rim, a disk formed of a plurality of sector like plates secured in overlapping relation to the hub being arranged in fan shape thereabout, a pair of rim receiving members attached to opposite sides of the periphery of the disk consisting of circular members of angular shape in cross section together providing a substantially flat cylindrical surtace on which the rim is. mounted. Y In testimony whereof l sign this specification.

JOHN F. WILMOT. 

